ChinaRiders Forums - View Single Post - USA Registration...State by State Issues.

skeltonh · 12-26-2018, 12:21 PM

Pennsylvania
While I have not tried to register a bike with PA as of yet, I have done a lot of talking with PA, inspectors, and with others that have registered bikes with PA. However, that only makes me someone with an opinion and not of authority. Even so....

1. A number of folks in my area have been looking to convert their quads into street legal reverse trikes, or as PA calls them: autocycles. PA has repeatedly stated that if a vehicle has a VIN or certificates that desginates it as an off-road vehicle, no amount of modifications will allow you to make it a street vehicle. In short: You purchased a quad, it still remains a quad and cannot be used on roads (and other places).

2. Getting a bike from an online dealer or via overseas via some place like alibaba.com is going to be next to impossible to register in PA. Three things you'll have to do:

a. Have the sales receipt, b. Have the MSO/MCO, c. Have the California Carb compliance certificate.

Now regarding CARB, PA has recently gone to CARB compliance. This caused problems with some cars that were registered in the past year in other state having to get a firmware upgrade in order to comply (Kia being one of them - it happened to me). This CARB mandate also affects all imports such as bikes and reverse trikes. I have talked to three bike inspectors and they all say this is required.

3. Save up your bucks - its going to cost you! PA is terrible with registration fees, fees for this, fees for that, fees for being ugly (just kidding, but they would if they could and boy would I be in trouble). In short: having to register your new bike in PA could cost you hundreds of dollars. If you build a bike with imported parts you'll need MSO/MCO for each and every part, evidence you actually built the vehicle, money for the state police to verify everything and insure your ride is road worthy, and that is all before you even talk about getting it titled and tagged. One guy in New Castle, PA built his own and it cost him over $1,500.00 to get through the whole process.

4. You can't ride/drive it there. They will report you if you drive your ride to the inspection place or to the state police inspector's place. So be sure to have a friend with a truck and/or trailer to get it to each of the places.

5. If by astronomical chances you survive all of this, is it really worth it?? For me: No. While there are some nice looking Chinese bikes and reverse trikes I'll either buy one that is already in the state and titled and tagged, or I'll get the Can Am Ryker - which is where I'm leaning right now.

Closing:
Your ride must be CARB compliant. Have tons of paperwork, depending on what you bought and how you bought it. If you have to assemble it things will only go from bad to worse for you. The best way to get a chinese bike is to find one already tagged and titled in another state and buy it. PA then says thats OK as it has already passed some form of government approval and can be registered in PA. However, if the VIN is screwy, regardless of tags and title, you'll might hit a snag in PA.

12-26-2018, 12:21 PM	#35
skeltonh Join Date: Dec 2018 Posts: 1	Pennsylvania While I have not tried to register a bike with PA as of yet, I have done a lot of talking with PA, inspectors, and with others that have registered bikes with PA. However, that only makes me someone with an opinion and not of authority. Even so.... 1. A number of folks in my area have been looking to convert their quads into street legal reverse trikes, or as PA calls them: autocycles. PA has repeatedly stated that if a vehicle has a VIN or certificates that desginates it as an off-road vehicle, no amount of modifications will allow you to make it a street vehicle. In short: You purchased a quad, it still remains a quad and cannot be used on roads (and other places). 2. Getting a bike from an online dealer or via overseas via some place like alibaba.com is going to be next to impossible to register in PA. Three things you'll have to do: a. Have the sales receipt, b. Have the MSO/MCO, c. Have the California Carb compliance certificate. Now regarding CARB, PA has recently gone to CARB compliance. This caused problems with some cars that were registered in the past year in other state having to get a firmware upgrade in order to comply (Kia being one of them - it happened to me). This CARB mandate also affects all imports such as bikes and reverse trikes. I have talked to three bike inspectors and they all say this is required. 3. Save up your bucks - its going to cost you! PA is terrible with registration fees, fees for this, fees for that, fees for being ugly (just kidding, but they would if they could and boy would I be in trouble). In short: having to register your new bike in PA could cost you hundreds of dollars. If you build a bike with imported parts you'll need MSO/MCO for each and every part, evidence you actually built the vehicle, money for the state police to verify everything and insure your ride is road worthy, and that is all before you even talk about getting it titled and tagged. One guy in New Castle, PA built his own and it cost him over $1,500.00 to get through the whole process. 4. You can't ride/drive it there. They will report you if you drive your ride to the inspection place or to the state police inspector's place. So be sure to have a friend with a truck and/or trailer to get it to each of the places. 5. If by astronomical chances you survive all of this, is it really worth it?? For me: No. While there are some nice looking Chinese bikes and reverse trikes I'll either buy one that is already in the state and titled and tagged, or I'll get the Can Am Ryker - which is where I'm leaning right now. Closing: Your ride must be CARB compliant. Have tons of paperwork, depending on what you bought and how you bought it. If you have to assemble it things will only go from bad to worse for you. The best way to get a chinese bike is to find one already tagged and titled in another state and buy it. PA then says thats OK as it has already passed some form of government approval and can be registered in PA. However, if the VIN is screwy, regardless of tags and title, you'll might hit a snag in PA.
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